custom, he could not triumph without it. According to another custom,
however, he must disband it before he could offer himself as a
candidate for the consulship. But he asked permission to set aside
this custom, and to become a candidate while he was in the province in
command of the army.

The law requiring a candidate to give up his command had been
suspended several times before this; so that Caesar's request was
reasonable. His enemies in the city were numerous and powerful, and he
felt that, if he returned as a private citizen, his personal safety
would be in danger; whereas, if he were a magistrate, his person would
be considered sacred.

The Senate, on the other hand, felt that, if he carried his point, the
days of their influence were numbered. Their first step, therefore,
was to weaken Caesar, and to provide their champion, Pompey, with a
force in Italy, They voted that Caesar should return to Pompey a
legion which had been loaned him, and also should send another legion
back to Italy. The vote was taken on the ostensible plea that the
troops were needed in Asia Minor against the Parthians; but when they
reached Italy they were placed under Pompey's command in Campania. The
Consuls chosen for the year 49 were both bitter enemies of Caesar. He
had taken up his winter quarters at Ravenna, the last town in his
province bordering on Italy. From here he sent a messenger with
letters to the Senate, stating that he was ready to resign his
command, if Pompey did the same. The messenger arrived at Rome,
January 1, 49, on the day in which the new Consuls entered upon their
duties.

The letters were read in the Senate, and there followed a spirited